Bark-grafting.—A style of grafting suited to large trees is shown in [Fig. 86]. The stock is not cleft, but the cions are pushed down between the bark and wood.
Fig. 83. Thomas' grafting-knife.
Fig. 84. Cleft-graft of cactus.
The cion must be cut very thin so that they will not break the bark on the stock. [Fig. 87] represents a good style of cion. It is cut to a shoulder upon either side. Several cions can be placed in a single stub, and as no splitting is necessary, it is a useful method for very large limbs. It is especially useful in repairing trees when very large branches are broken off. A dozen or more cions may be set about the broken portion, after it is dressed off, and a few of them may be allowed to remain after the wound has been healed. Bark-grafting can be performed to advantage only when the bark peels readily. The cions should be held in place by a tight bandage, as seen in [Fig. 86], and then wax should be applied in essentially the same manner as for cleft-grafting. (See [Fig. 80].) This is sometimes called crown-grafting, and is useful under certain conditions.
A special form of bark-grafting is sometimes employed for covering girdles about the base of an old tree, made by mice, gophers or rabbits. The edges of the bark are trimmed, and cions are cut a couple inches longer than the width of the girdle. These are sharpened at both ends. One end is inserted under the bark below the girdle and the other above it. The cions are placed close together entirely around the tree. This operation is said to be necessary to keep up the connection between the root and the top, but this is in most cases an error. A good dressing of cow-dung, wax or clay, held on with stout bandages, is much better than the grafting. This method of grafting is sometimes, but erroneously, called inarching. A complete girdle made during the spring or early summer will usually heal over readily if it is well bandaged; and in some cases even the bandage is not necessary.